NBA Star Power Index: Chris Paul doing Point God things; Donovan Mitchell has become bankable playoff star

Welcome again to the NBA Star Energy Index — a weekly gauge of the gamers who’re most controlling the thrill across the league. Reminder: Inclusion on this listing isn’t essentially a superb factor. It merely signifies that you’re capturing the NBA world’s consideration. Additionally, this isn’t a rating. The gamers listed are in no explicit order because it pertains to the thrill they’re producing. 

When Chris Paul suffered what was deemed a proper shoulder contusion in Sport 1 of the Phoenix Suns’ first-round collection vs. LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, nearly everybody thought that was the top of the Suns because the worst-possible-time harm bug had stung the Level God once more. 

Suppose once more. 

The Suns picked up their chief by staying alive lengthy sufficient for Paul to return to what seems to be full well being, or one thing fairly near it, defeating the Lakers in six video games earlier than leaping out to a 2-0 lead on the Denver Nuggets with a convincing Sport 2 victory Wednesday evening wherein Paul was completely sensible with 17 factors and 15 assists. 

Paul, who’s now the one participant in NBA historical past to report a 15-assist, zero-turnover postseason sport with three completely different franchises, has now tallied 38 assists in opposition to two turnovers over his final three playoff video games. One of many clearest indicators that Paul is again to his regular self is that he’s taking, and making, effort-free 3-pointers. He was not ready to do that just a few weeks in the past: 

Via seven playoff video games, Kevin Durant is averaging 32 factors on 55 p.c capturing, which is the second-highest field-goal share amongst all postseason gamers (minimal 100 makes an attempt) behind solely Kawhi Leonard. 

Brooklyn skunked Milwaukee in Sport 2 to take command of that collection. Durant went for 32 factors and 6 assists. He shot 12 of 18 from the sphere and 4 of 6 from 3. There’s actually no protection for this man. Per StatMuse, 90 p.c of Durant’s 3-pointers this postseason have been contested (highest mark amongst all gamers), and he’s nonetheless capturing 50 p.c on over 5 makes an attempt per sport. 

The talent, and the discharge level, are simply too excessive:

However it’s not simply the offense. Everybody wished to know the way the Nets have been going to carry up defensively within the postseason, and they’re trying higher each sport. Giannis Antetokounmpo is hitting his proverbial wall once more, and Durant is a big a part of that. He’s averaging two blocks per sport — a postseason profession excessive — and he’s on level together with his rotations. 

I really like this play beneath. The Nets neglect Giannis for a break up second and it seems he has a runway for a reduce to the basket. He catches the ball on the transfer and Durant, who was initially monitoring Brook Lopez down towards the baseline, rapidly jumps as much as reduce Giannis off, then holds sturdy on Giannis’ second penetration try earlier than forcing him right into a one-foot fallaway: 

We all know the Nets can rating a zillion factors. However protection like that’s how they’re going to win a championship. For his play on each ends, Durant is again to having a legit case as the perfect participant on the planet. 

Mitchell erupted for 45 factors (32 within the second half) in Utah’s Sport 1 victory over the Clippers. Our Sam Quinn detailed how Mitchell mercilessly switch-hunted the Clips, ready for the matchup he desired earlier than placing the pedal down. It’s one thing the Clippers might stand to do much more of themselves. Too typically, the Clippers simply accept no matter matchup they occur to search out themselves in and go into random pull-up jumpers. 

Again to Mitchell, who’s rapidly changing into one of many extra bankable playoff performers within the league. He’s been doing it since he was a rookie. He averaged 36 a sport within the bubble. He’s at 31.8 PPG to this point this postseason, and take a look at the corporate wherein his identify now resides:

Utah, in case you haven’t seen, is for actual. 

Damian Lillard is out of the postseason, however his identify remains to be making headlines because the Path Blazers seek for a brand new coach. Lillard went on report that he wished Jason Kidd, who promptly eliminated his identify from consideration. The explanations for Kidd doing that aren’t precisely clear, however I might posit that he is aware of there’s an opportunity Lillard may not be lengthy for Portland. 

Which is the opposite a part of Lillard’s headline making. Is he going to be traded? Blazers common supervisor Neil Olshey refused to even reply the query as as to if Portland may contemplate hitting the reset button and dealing Lillard, however Lillard has but to demand something. If he does, the whole lot modifications even supposing he’s underneath contract with the Blazers via 2024. 

Bear in mind, James Harden was locked up for 2 extra seasons (with a participant choice on a 3rd) in Houston, and when he wished out from a franchise that had appeared to have hit its ceiling, he acquired out. No one’s saying Lillard goes to do this; he’s been as dedicated to the native trigger as any celebrity in sports activities. 

However Portland’s choices for getting meaningfully higher are minimal. They don’t have any cap house. They don’t have any younger gamers anybody goes to be notably eager about. Buying and selling CJ McCollum might be the one instant route, and even his $100 million contract is reportedly seen as having unfavourable worth across the league. If the Blazers are certainly caught the place they stand, how lengthy will Lillard stay affected person?

Nikola Jokic was formally named the league’s MVP on Tuesday evening, changing into the third European-born participant to win the award (Giannis Antetokounmpo and Dirk Nowitzki have been the opposite two). Jokic was spectacular this season, and he simply led the Nuggets previous the Blazers regardless of his wingman, Jamal Murray, being out for the season. 

Jokic already has a case as the best worth draft decide in historical past. He was taken forty first general in 2014 — by far the bottom slot a future MVP has gone (Steve Nash and Antetokounmpo, each of whom went No. 15 general, beforehand held that distinction). 

From our Sam Quinn, who additionally wrote an attention-grabbing piece making the case for Jokic as essentially the most unlikely MVP in historical past:

Jokic grew to become the primary participant in NBA historical past this season to common a minimum of 26 factors, 10 rebounds and eight assists on higher than 52 p.c capturing. He made 56.6 p.c of his subject targets, dwarfing those that approached his uncooked numbers. His 8.3 assists per sport simply barely missed Wilt Chamberlain’s report of 8.6 for many by a middle in a season, and he got here solely three 3-pointers and 13 free throws away from changing into the primary heart ever to hitch the 50-40-90 membership. He did all of it with out lacking a single regular-season sport.